Totally missed the 7pm candle lighting, think I was getting tea ready and going slightly crazy from being in all day with spotty DD. will light one tonight instead to remember our little dot, who we lost in February.

DH and I have had a reconciliation thank goodness. After my email yesterday he called me and we had a bit of a heart to heart, so all back on track. Hooray.

With regards birth plan, my last one was a sliding scale of drugs etc, depending on how well I coped. I did end up doing the majority of my active labour in the pool with just G&A and it was doable. Prior to that was crying out for an epi, but the water was a big help to me. My biggest issue really is that I had retained placenta and haemorrhage last time and mw said there's a reasonable chance it will happen again. I needed spinal block for the removal last time, so I sort of think, if I am going to end up with a spinal anyway, should I just have an epi for the delivery? I don't know.

Anyway, great news on those scans ladies, less than two weeks now til mine!

Having another day at home with a very spotty DD, but at least they seem to be scabbing now, which means we are hopefully past the worst. Delightful!

First night of struggling to get comfy in bed. I hope it was a one off because I'm not even 18 weeks yet!No BH here. Didn't have any last time, so fingers crossed I won't have them this time. My friend has been having then for weeks and weeks and they keep her awake at night.

Morning ladies Interested to hear opinions of the Dream Genii pillows as I'm thinking of getting one. When I sat up this morning my bump ached down one side so I guess it needs some support now. sundae How tall are you? I was just wondering because I read a review of the pillow saying not so good if you are tall.I'm finally the cold, yay! Now just counting down the days to my scan a week today.Glad to hear you made up with DH Ethel but sorry your DD is still suffering. Hmm, birth plans... Obviously I don't have any experience (other than not coping very well with the pain during my mc) but I think I'm just going to keep an open mind. I want to try out the pool but I'm open to taking drugs if it all gets too much Potty training talk is very interesting and I'm trying to remember it for future reference.

Amazon family gives you three month trial to prime and a £10 voucher and then a £25 off a £50 if you keep up the prime (free next day, costs £49 a year, so can be quite good if you buy a lot) and they send you emails with offers and discounts only for family members. Worth signing up getting the £10 voucher, using the prime for christmas and then canceling the prime bit, you still get the emails and stuff.

Well woke up feeling ugggh and was worried I had caught DH flu, I then threw up in a plastic bag and got a leture from DS1 that I was too poorly to go to work and I should go back to bed and rest, lol!! I have come to work as I wasnt in yesterday and have tomorrow off as well and to be honest feel fine so must of just been a passing thing which I am VERY pleased about as going out for dinner with girls to an all you can eat indian and I cant wait

My 20 week scan is now next wednesday when I am 20 weeks to the day and am excited even if a bit greedy as I saw little man yesterday! He is starting to get more active and if he is in the right place DH and I can feel him kicking from outside which is nice.

Ow and I am desperate for a subway and have been since 7.00am this morning even when being sick!

Thanks Tramp! Am feeling a bit better now thanks to an office whip round which has resulted in choccie biccies, mints and chewing gum!

I have my 20 week scan tomorrow! Am vvvvv nervous!

Just come out of a meeting with the big head. He was meant to be reassuring us that after our HoD leaves everything will be ok but actually, reading between the lines he pretty much confirmed that without our HoD then my job will be diluted and I will end up as a general dogsbody.... (If I were here...) I can't carry on like this! I really need a new career, i'm desperate to retrain but not sure how to go about it....

Sorry for the rant. Am going to go and try that Amazon family tree thing! Sounds good. Might even treat myself to a dream-genii pillow too!

Am having childcare problems for the first time in 13 years! My mum is usually my childcare and she is ill. She's not been out of bed spear from dr since Fruday. Dh has taken some time off but he won't get paid which isn't great and I now need to negotiate someone to cover me tomorrow so I can leave early so he can go to work.

Well I managed 12 hours with no poo or cramp! Won't give you the details of my last 10 mins but feel the worst must be behind me. Even getting to like the taste of diaroltye, who knew it comes in three flavours! I am thinking of making a trip into the outside world today. .... If I don't though at least I will have your posts to cheer me up.

EthelredOnAGoodDay - I had a client who had a retained placenta in her previous pregnancy and they wanted to stop her home birthing again, but when she asked the SoM she said it wasn't likely to happen again so no reason not to home birth. There's nothing wrong with an epidural if you need it but it's probably better to save it for when you do as they do increase the chance of complications. A natural third stage (not getting the injection they give in the thigh when baby is being born) will reduce the chance of retained placenta.

TheAngelshavetheOod - this will be our 4th (our angel baby was also a girl, so 5 girls, I think I do girls!)

zoeymlucas - make sure you look after yourself!

On the subject of birth plans, they're best kept short and list the things that are important to you. It's not a time table, you can't plan in minute detail but you can tell them what your options are and what's important to you. Here's an example of things to include:

Birth Partnersyour OH, mum, Doula etc

Pain ReliefBest to keep this to what you definitely don't want, what you want to try first, that you plan to staircase (start with low level pain killers and increase as necessary), rather than being rigid. You can also include if you've been working on hypnobirthing, aromatherapy, are bringing a TENS machine, want to use the pool etc. [on mine it includes that I can't have an epidural so in the event of a section they need to go straight to a GA]

MonitoringIn normal circumstances you may wish to keep it to intermittent but put an allowance in for unless there is a problem, you may be happy to stay on the monitor all the time but want it to be telemetric

InterventionsAgain what you definitely don't want, some people would rather a section than forceps/ ventose, you may wish to say that you want VEs limited

Labour and Birth PositionsIf you want to use a birthing ball, use the pool, be encouraged to remain active. Again, if there's anything you definitely don't want.

Post BirthManaged/ natural third stage, who cuts the cord, when to cut the cord, skin to skin, feeding options, who's allowed in afterwards

I also did a contingency plan on a different sheet for if I had to have a section.

My birth plan last time was something along the lines of "I'm completely open minded, do what needs to be done and I'll take any drugs. I'd also like to try the pool, but get him out healthily." Turned out i went into labour at the height of the swine flu outbreak, so they'd closed pool to stop contamination or something, I turned up to hospital 8cm dilated, so couldn't have any drugs apart from gas and air, then he got stuck and they pulled him out with the ventouse. Heh...